Intrinsic Nature
by Maelan Peredhil
Summary: More Seregil/Thero, this time when they discover that Thero and the intrinsic nature spell just don't get along. I'm not really sure where I'm taking it (I think I've dead-ended)... PG13 because of some nudity/jokes... Please R&R...


This is sort of a follow-up on my first Seregil/Thero thing, and takes place a few years later. It's rather weird, but what do you expect for a story that I whipped out during lunch at school? Eh... I've discovered that Thero's is a very fun POV to write from, so that's how I did it. Seregil seems to be in a particularly annoying mood today... 

'Seregil i Korit Solun Meringil Bokthersa, let they inner symbol be revealed!' Nysander's voice rolled out like the thunder as we stood in the center of the Orëska grounds. Seregil knelt in front of Nysander with the wizard's hand resting lightly on the top of his head. He also happened to be quite undressed.   
And then, Seregil was gone. In his place was a sleek, brown otter, still with Seregil's grey eyes. He looked down and inspected himself, then dashed straight at me. He darted between my legs- and, consequently, under my robes- then jumped into a nearby pool and swam around in circles, giggling.   
I glared at him, but my master merely cracked a small grin. 'Now, now, Seregil. That wasn't very nice of you. Leave poor Thero alone.'   
'Believe me, I didn't see anything. Illior was kind.' He ducked quickly underwater as I sent a small spell his way, intending to splash a little water at him. Even if it had hit, I don't think it would have done much good for two reasons. Firstly, Seregil was already wet; also, it is very hard to teach Seregil any lesson he doesn't wish to learn.   
'Stop it, both of you!' Nysander's face was stern. He knew very well of the rivalry that Seregil and I shared. 'We have something to accomplish with all of this.'   
What he spoke of was my lesson for the day: the intrinsic nature spell. Nysander was going to teach it to me only because I had asked; however, he hadn't seemed reluctant. Seregil had come along to be our model. I was now regretting that. It didn't seem right that I should be the one learning the spell, but Seregil was having more fun than I. I was half-hoping that when I tried it on him, it would go horribly wrong, and Seregil would be turned into something, preferably a slug or such, other than that blasted otter. But he would remind me perpetually about my failure, so I decided that success would be best.   
Nysander beckoned to me. 'Well, you've seen how it's done. Simply their whole name, or as much as you know of it, and the words: let thy inner symbol be revealed. And, of course, you must be touching them. Understand?' I nodded, and Nysander turned to the pond where Seregil swam contentedly. 'Seregil.' The otter came halfway up onto the shore and raised an eye at the wizard. 'Come here. Thero is going to try the same spell on you.'   
Immediately, Seregil plunged back in. 'What? I am NOT going to let him work magic on me! Or touch me. Ugh!'   
'Seregil, don't you say such things!'   
'I came down here for some fun!'   
'Seregil!' Nysander strode quickly to the pond and snatched Seregil out of the water. He carried the struggling otter over to me and dropped him at my feet. 'Please behave civilly for once!' Before Seregil could escape again, Nysander changed him back to his usual form, sitting on the grass. 'Honestly, I wonder why neither of you can ever be polite to each other. Especially you, Seregil.' The Aurënfaie looked down at the grass and traced a pattern through it with his finger. 'Life is not all fun, Seregil.'   
Seregil sighed. 'I know.'   
Nysander nodded and stepped back. 'You may begin, Thero.'   
Hesitantly, I reached down and touched Seregil's dark hair with my fingertips. I heard Seregil mutter a prayer to Illior, something about the spell working. I nearly laughed, but controlled myself and began. 'Seregil i Korit Solun Meringil Bokthersa, let they inner symbol be revealed!'   
The next moment, an otter was glaring up at me. 'It's a lot nicer when Nysander does that.'   
I rolled my eyes; I doubted he had actually felt any difference. Then I forgot about him and looked up at Nysander. He was smiling. 'Very nice. Well done, especially for your first time.'   
'It's not really that hard spell,' Seregil interjected.   
'You wouldn't know; you've never tried it,' Nysander said contritely, changing Seregil back again. Then he looked appraisingly at me. 'Thero. Would you like me to do that spell on you?'   
'I'll do it,' Seregil volunteered.   
I held up my hands and backed away. 'No, you won't. I have no desire to be set on fire or split apart just because you can't do magic.'   
'I can do magic!'   
'Not if it's anything a ten-year-old apprentice can't do,' I smirked.   
'Back off, both of you!' snapped Nysander. 'Next you'll be clawing out each other's throats.'   
'That's a very good idea.'   
'SEREGIL!'   
Seregil stepped back, looking both sulk and smug. Nysander motioned for me to come before him. 'Well, Thero?'   
'I... All right.'   
'Remove your clothes, then; it will make this easier for you.'   
'I can't look.' Seregil turned away.   
'You weren't so pretty yourself,' I retorted, obeying Nysander as I did.   
When all way ready, Nysander said the spell amd I expected to be running around as... I'm not quite sure what, and I know I don't want to know what Seregil expected I'd be. But nothing happened. Nysander frowned. 'Why...' He tried again, with the same results. And then he tried again. And again. And again. My master stepped back and eyed me, kneeling before him, critically. At last, he said in a soft voice, 'Thero, I do not think this spell will work on you.'   
Behind him, Seregil, who had been standing with his mouth slightly open ever since the first failure, broke into laughter. 'Thero doesn't have an intrinsic nature! Everything there is to him is what's visible!'   
Angrily, I rose to my feet and hurled one of my discarded shoes at him. He ducked it, still laughing. My second shoe struck him full in the face as he straightened. He prepared to throw it back, but Nysander stepped between us.   
'Stop that immediately. Seregil, Thero doesn't always tease you for your problems with magic, and you will refrain from doing so here. Now, go back to the Orëska.'   
With a sullen, 'As you wish,' Seregil departed.   
When he was gone, I hastily began to pull on my robes, tears of rage blinding my eyes. Nysander brought me the shoe I'd thrown at Seregil. 'Don't let him anger you. He's trying to make you mad.'   
'I know.'   
'Just as you do to him. Thero, he's jealous of you. You've taken his place, you have more power than he'll ever have, you've lead an easier life... Try to understand.'   
'I understand it perfectly.' I looked around, still un mollified. 'Where's my other shoe?'   
Nysander sighed. 'I have a feeling that Seregil took it. I'll get it back for you.' He took my arm and began to lead my back towards the Orëska House. 'Come. That is all that I ask of you today. I shall look into this matter more fully, of course, but some other day.' 

Some other day wasn't good enough for me. I could not sleep that night, wondering what had gone wrong. Finally, I got up and went to the library, still and quiet in the early hours of the morning. For hours, I looked through huge tomes, searching for possible causes of the spell's failure. Nothing. How to sure the intrinsic nature spell, the origins of the spell of intrinsic nature... Had it never failed before? 

'Thero.' Slowly, I opened my eyes to see Nysander's face staring down at me. I sat up. Books were spread all around me, an especially large (but equally as useless) one serving as a pillow. Sunlight streamed through the windows. 'Were you looking up about that spell?' I nodded. I must have fallen asleep while researching. Nysander sat down beside me. 'Thero, don't let it bother you.'   
'I'm not.'   
'Ah.' Skepticism shone in the wizard's clear blue eyes. I met his gaze squarely with my own.   
I hoped desperately that this was not a sign of some flaw in my powers, such as Seregil had. It could not be. Bilairy's eyes, but it had better not be.   
  
  
  
  
  


There. Now that you've read this, read First Confrontation, also by me, if you haven't already. Pretty please...? :) 


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